All That Glitters
by The King's Soldier
Summary: "All that glitters is not gold." While helping Alan's daughter understand the price of immortality, Julia learns a bit about its benefits, her father, and the beauty of fleeting things. Sequel to "For the Love of a Daughter" but can be read alone. AU post season 1. Contains Julia/Hatake bonding, Julia/Sarah friendship, and cameos by Alan and Peter.


Author's Note: An anonymous reviewer asked for a sequel to "For the Love of a Daughter", and this just came out of nowhere. A quick explanation for those who haven't read the first one - both are set in an AU timeline where season 2 never happened. Alan got Julia off Spencer's helicopter at the end of season 1, and she eventually married Peter while Alan married Sarah. Sarah's child was a girl named Carter who developed normally. The Farragut clan has spent the years moving around and trying to dismantle Ilaria from under the radar. They've had a certain degree of success, and Ilaria is beginning to come apart. Also, I've made two assumptions about the science of immortality that don't line up with canon but without which this story doesn't work. First, immortals are capable of making other people immortal even if their transformation wasn't recent. Second, it was the "sedative" that Hiroshi gave to Julia on level R, and not Narvik, that triggered the latent immortality in her genes. I think that's all the details you need... Oh, and the girl on the cover is Alisha Newton, who I picture as Carter. Enjoy!

Special Thanks: This story is dedicated to the four people who reviewed "For the Love of a Daughter", as well as the anonymous person who asked for a sequel. Hopefully you approve of this one.

* * *

 **All That Glitters**

Carter's fifteen when Alan gets sick. He's been feeling a little out of sorts for a while, but he keeps insisting that he's just tired. It's not until he nearly passes out during a check-up with an impoverished family that Sarah finally convinces him he needs to see a doctor. The Farragut clan is currently staying in a village hidden in the Andes Mountains, so it's a two-day journey to the nearest hospital. Julia and Peter stay with Carter while Alan and Sarah make the trip. They're accompanied by two locals who insist on coming along as security for their beloved doctor. Part of the trip goes through the domain of a drug lord, after all. Not that it'll be a problem. Julia saw to that as soon as they got here.

After so many years on the run, the Farraguts have developed a sort of system. Alan uses his medical expertise to form bonds with the locals and important moralists, and Julia uses her guile to create a working relationship with any nearby criminals of note. That way their backs are always covered when the cornered beast that is Ilaria decides to make an appearance. Peter spends most of his time away, learning what he can about Ilaria's current operations. His time as their agent gives him a unique insight that gets him closer than the others ever could. (That betrayal had taken some serious working through when their little family found out. But Peter's been nothing but loyal ever since, risking his neck more times than any of them can count.) Sarah uses the data Peter brings back to fuel her research into new ways to combat Ilaria. Julia's connections get her whatever gear she needs, and Alan's ensures that no one asks questions. While there's no denying that all of the Farraguts are smart, there's also no denying that Sarah has become the brains of their operation. Although Alan is still the one who makes the final call. And Carter? Carter's job is to learn as much as she can and have the most normal childhood she can manage under the circumstances. But growing up on the run has more or less turned her into a mini adult. Alan likes to joke that his daughter was born old, as opposed to her mother, who will die young. Sarah is never nearly as amused by the comment as Alan is. Mostly because, due to Alan's aging and Sarah's lack thereof, most people tend to think he's her grandfather. They have to be pretty careful about how they interact in public, but they've learned to live with it.

Sarah and Alan get back to the village four days after they left. It only takes one look at their faces to know that the news isn't good. Julia sets some water boiling before they all crowd in around the dining table. She notices idly that the wooden surface is still rough even after four months. A normal family would have sanded it by now, but they just never seem to get around to it. Besides, they probably won't be here much longer before Alan decides it's time to move again, so what does it really matter?

Alan's tone is resigned as he tells them all the results: he has brain cancer. Because of the tumor's size and location, there's nothing that can be done. He might have several months left or it might be a matter of weeks. But despite all of science's wonderful advances, it still can't save him.

"What do we do?" Peter asks in a strained voice. His hand atop the table has closed tightly around Julia's. Alan and Sarah exchange a look, but Carter speaks before they can.

"We save him," she says calmly. She seems completely unfazed sitting there in her black tank top and navy basketball shorts with her brown hair wrangled into a ponytail. It's currently December, which here means heat. (And colorful Christmas lights strung about the Farragut house, which almost seems wrong given the temperature.) Carter has a good head on her shoulders, so it's not uncommon for her to be allowed a say in family discussions. Now she's staring at them all like this is the obvious solution. "Mom and Aunt Jules can save him. They can make him immortal."

Sarah won't look at her daughter as she says quietly, "We thought of that."

"And?" Carter asks expectantly. She doesn't seem to see where this is going. But Julia does, and her hand tightens around Peter's.

"And," Alan says in the tone he uses for scared patients, "I'm not sure that's the best solution."

"It's the only solution," Carter informs him.

"Immortality is a lot to take on," Sarah says. Her voice is growing hoarse, and Julia can only imagine how hard this is for her to say. There was a time Sarah would've fought tooth and nail to save Alan. Maybe even forced the cure on him. But she's grown a lot in the decade and a half since Arctic BioSystems. As much as it pains her, she's trying to respect Alan's desire not to bear this burden. "Just because it can be done, doesn't mean it should-"

"So it's good enough to save you, but not Dad?" Carter accuses.

"Carter," Alan scolds.

"No, it's not right," Carter says angrily. "She can save you!" She looks over at Julia, clearly expecting some back up from her aunt. "Tell him you're going to save him!"

"It's his choice," Julia says quietly. The words taste like bile in her mouth, but they're true. Carter just stares at her in disbelief.

"I can't believe this," she says. "You're really just gonna let him die." She turns her disbelieving gaze to Alan. "And you actually want to die!"

"Carter-" Alan begins. Instead of listening, Carter shakes her head as she gets to her feet and heads for the stairs. Alan tries again, this time with a bit more force. "Carter!"

The only answer he receives is a slamming door upstairs. The door rebounds against the frame, which has warped slightly in the humidity, and Carter has to close it again, this time with a bit more determination. Just one more item on the list of things they never seem to get around to fixing. The ringing double slam slowly fades, leaving behind a tense silence in the bare dining room. Then Sarah sniffs loudly and gets to her feet.

"I'm going to check on the tea," she says, her voice carefully level.

"I'll come with you," Julia says. She gets to her feet and follows her sister-in-law into the kitchen. The Farragut brothers need some time alone right now.

The water on the old stove is already boiling. Sarah turns off the heat and puts the coffee beans in the pot before putting a lid on it. Electricity isn't always reliable out here, so they're fallen into the habit of making coffee the old school way. Now there's nothing to do but wait for the grounds to settle to the bottom. Sarah leans back against the counter as she stares down at the pot. Julia mimics her posture, crossing her arms and leaning back against the opposite counter in the cramped kitchen. There don't tend to be a lot of housing options in the places they choose to stay, so sometimes things have to be sacrificed. This time it was kitchen space.

"How are you holding up?" Julia asks quietly. Alan's news has yet to fully sink in for her, so right now her focus is on Sarah. When the two of them first met, they were rivals both in science and in love. But in the years since, they've actually become remarkably close. Julia figures hiding from an evil corporation hell bent on your destruction will do that. So will being married to brothers that keep aging while you're trying to come to grips with your own immortality.

"I don't know," Sarah admits without looking up. "I think I'm in shock. It just doesn't seem real."

"No, it doesn't," Julia agrees. She and Alan may no longer be romantically involved, but their history is undeniable. They still remain the best of friends. Thinking about life without him just feels wrong. Especially when the power to save him is right there inside her. But Alan's always made his position on immortals abundantly clear. Present company excluded, of course. And even there he's done his best to hammer in their humanity so immortality doesn't change them like it did most of Ilaria.

"So he really won't do it?" Julia asks even though she already knows the answer.

"Nope," Sarah says with a sigh. She's still staring down at the pot on the stove as if her eyes can bore through the metal. "You know how he is. He doesn't think people should have that power. Besides, it's not like it was with me. I still had my whole life ahead of me. Alan's in his seventies. He says he'd rather have one full life that gets cut a little short than hundreds that drag into eternity."

"I can't say I blame him," Julia admits. She knows better than anyone that immortality is not just a quick fix. It made a wreck of her father's life. All those years of fighting for a better world and all he has to show for it are some old pictures and a daughter he barely gets to see. Immortality certainly has its benefits, but just because it glitters doesn't make it gold.

"I don't know what to tell Carter," Sarah says sadly. "She's too young to understand that. All she sees is her dad leaving her."

"She's a smart kid," Julia assures her. "She'll understand. She just needs time to process it."

Sarah's quiet for a moment before looking up. Her colored contacts mask her silver irises, making them appear instead as their original brown.

"This is just the beginning, isn't it?" Sarah says in a strained voice. "This is what it's going to be like. Everyone else dying while we just keep existing. First Alan, then Peter. Someday even Carter. One by one until we're the only ones left."

Julia doesn't really know what to say to that. When she first learned she was immortal, it had seemed like a glittering gift. The whole of eternity was spread out before her. It hadn't taken her long to realize her new state was a double-edged sword, but even then, the full extent was difficult to wrap her head around. The reality of it was something that sunk in as small bits and pieces. When running for the football made Alan's knees ache or Peter's hair started turning grey or Carter began introducing Sarah as her older sister. But even those were just glimpses. Now… Now Julia's finally starting to understand.

"I'm sorry," she blurts out. "I never should've done this to you."

"You were trying to save my life," Sarah says without a single trace of blame. "And you did."

"At what price?" Julia counters. "You didn't even know about the immortality when we did it."

"I still would've told you to do it," Sarah says firmly. "And if I could go back knowing everything I do now, I still wouldn't change it. You gave me a life with Alan. You gave me Carter. And the years I have had with them are certainly worth an unending life of loneliness."

Julia's mouth quirks upward in a hint of a smile.

"You won't be alone," she points out. "You're stuck with me 'til the end of the world."

"Best friends forever?" Sarah asks jokingly.

"Literally," Julia informs her. "Maybe we should make some of those cheap bracelets that were so popular back in middle school."

"Or we could get matching tattoos," Sarah offers with a grin.

"Just remember, you have to live with it for the rest of eternity," Julia says with a grimace.

A floorboard creaks above their heads, and suddenly they both remember Carter running up the stairs. And why she did it. Just like that, the rising mood in the kitchen deflates. Sarah distracts herself by checking on the coffee. She must be satisfied with what she sees because she opens up a cabinet and pulls down a few chipped mugs. Julia silently gets out the milk and cheap sugar. It's only when all five mugs have been poured and touched up (after sixteen years, none of them even have to ask how the others take their coffee) that Julia finally makes physical contact. She's not really a touchy person, a fact Carter loves to take advantage of. But now her hand comes to rest atop Sarah's on the tray of mugs.

"We'll get through this," Julia says once Sarah has looked up at her. She's not really sure if she means Alan's sickness or their immortality. Maybe both. Sixteen years into eternity and already "we" is slowly coming to mean just the two of them against the world.

"I know," Sarah says quietly. But her hand has turned over and is clinging tightly to Julia's.

X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X

Things at the Farragut house are pretty tense for the next few days. Carter is upset at everyone but Peter, who seems to have fallen into a state of contemplative shock. No amount of talking can get through to the youngest Farragut. It's hard to be mad at her though. Julia knows her niece enough to tell that Carter's anger is just a mask. She's hurting, and there's no way to fix it.

Which is why Julia decides to take her on a trip. She's the adult Carter is closest to, and it isn't unusual for them to go places together. Granted, most of those trips are usually for security reasons, but still. Julia is hoping this trip will help her finally get through to Carter. Actually, she's hoping Hiroshi will get through to Carter. Julia hasn't seen her father in a few months, so it's high time for a visit. And who better to help Carter cope with Alan's decision than a five-hundred-year-old immortal?

It takes them several days to get to the island where Hiroshi has holed up. He's gotten pretty good at finances over the last five hundred years, with the result that he's now filthy rich. He probably could've bought the whole island if he wanted. But that would've drawn too much attention. Instead he used his funds to set up several safe houses around the world that he gradually rotates through, living fairly modestly by the standards of the modern age. The rest of his fortune goes to funding the Farragut family and their efforts to slowly dismantle Ilaria.

The island where Hiroshi is currently staying is far enough across the equator to be in a mild state of winter in December, so Carter and Julia are both in jeans and sweatshirts when the motorboat they rented finally hits the shore. They pick up their hiking backpacks and hide the boat before starting through the woods. It takes a few hours before Hiroshi's cabin comes into view. Carter doesn't say a word the whole way, but Julia can see her shoulders slowly beginning to relax. Hiking through the woods with her aunt is a familiar experience for Carter. Ironically, it actually seems to be where she feels safest.

Hiroshi is sitting on the edge of his porch drinking a cup of tea when they finally break through the trees to the small clearing around the cabin. Julia had called before they left the Andes to tell him they were coming. He's probably been sitting on the porch all morning waiting for them. He doesn't really get much company out here, and while he insists he likes it that way, Julia still worries about him sometimes. His grin at seeing them is visible from the tree line. Carter can't help smiling a bit as well.

When they reach the porch, Carter drops her backpack to the ground and hugs Hiroshi.

"Hey, Grandpa," she says warmly. Julia can't really remember how Carter got started calling him that. She and Hiroshi have no blood relation to speak of. But Hiroshi loves the nickname, so it persists.

"Hello," he says in something near a laugh. He releases Carter and hugs Julia as well. "Julia."

"Hey, Dad," Julia says. The word used to feel strange in her mouth, but she's gotten used to it.

"I caught some fish this morning," Hiroshi says, pulling away. "They should be about done."

"I can smell them," Julia says. The aroma wafting from the house is making her mouth water.

"It smells amazing," Carter agrees. She's definitely lightening up now. This trip was a good idea.

Hiroshi ushers them both into the large cabin. The interior is more modern than the rustic exterior implies, but it's not so fancy as to feel formal. Hiroshi already has the table set for a late lunch. Aside from the delicious fish, there's also a slew of vegetables he grew himself and some amazing rolls. Hiroshi keeps heaping food on their plates with all the insistence of an eastern European grandmother. Just when Julia thinks she can't possibly eat anymore, out comes the cake from the oven.

When the food is finally gone, Hiroshi puts on a pot of tea. He's quite the tea connoisseur, and combined with his martial arts skills, that only makes him seem even more like a stereotypical Japanese grandfather. Julia leans back contentedly and watches him bustle around the kitchen like a regular domestic. Carter's mood is also considerably brighter as she swaps science jokes with her surrogate grandfather. Gone is the surly teen from the boat. In her place is a girl far wiser than her years, although her bright smile and ravenous curiosity manage to keep her young. She reminds Julia of what her parents must have been like as teenagers. The good humor is definitely Alan's and the inquisitive drive is undoubtedly Sarah's. Actually, Carter's basically the perfect blend of both her parents.

Hiroshi pours them all a mug of hot tea (his own mug, Julia notes with amusement, reads "World's Greatest Dad") and sits down at the head of the table. The humorous spark in his eye quickly fades as he shifts into serious mode. Carter notices the change, and her gaze falls to her tea.

"I heard about your father," Hiroshi says gently. "I'm sorry. He's a good man."

There was a time Julia would've thought he was just saying that because it was expected, but in recent years, Hiroshi has slowly come to hold a genuine respect Alan. He's still working on it with Peter. Julia can't decide if it's because Peter was a traitor at first or if Hiroshi is just a typical father who doesn't think anybody's good enough for his daughter.

"He doesn't have to die," Carter says. Her voice is firm, but she isn't looking up. She's probably figured out by now that this is why Julia brought her here – so Hiroshi can talk sense to her. "Mom and Aunt Jules could save him if he would just let them."

"It's not that simple," Hiroshi tells her. It always amazes Julia that such a brilliant man can be so kind when the occasion calls for it. "Immortality can be a gift, yes. But it can also be a curse."

"I know," Carter says in a slightly irritable tone. She grew up with an immortal mother, aunt, and grandfather. She's heard this speech and others like it a hundred times. "You live forever and everybody you care about dies. It sucks. But it wouldn't be like that. He'd have Mom and Aunt Jules and you. Heck, we could even make Uncle Peter immortal."

"You could," Hiroshi agrees. "But then where would it stop? If you turn everyone you care about into an immortal, and then everyone they care about, soon everyone is immortal. The death rate would cease to exist while birth remained the same. The population would skyrocket. This planet would not be able to sustain such numbers. That is why Ilaria only allowed a certain number of immortals. Dying may be unpleasant, but it is also a necessary part of life."

Hiroshi takes a drink of his tea while he waits for Carter's reply. Her brow has furrowed slightly as it always does when she's thinking. The argument is a good one, and Julia knows it will appeal to Carter's scientific nature. But she also highly doubts that solid discussion points will be enough here.

"I understand that," Carter says. She's in debate mode now with logic starting to overtake emotion. "But I'm not talking about immortalizing the entire human race. I'm talking about one man."

"If your father wished to be immortal, I would have no problem with it," Hiroshi says calmly. "But immortality is a heavy burden. No man should be forced to carry it against his will."

"What about my mom?" Carter counters. She really is a sharp kid to think of that so fast. "When you saved her life in the Arctic, she didn't know it would make her immortal."

"You mother had already expressed interest in using Julia's bone marrow to treat her cancer," Hiroshi explains. "It is true she did not know about the side effect of immortality. But at the time of the transfusion, she was no longer able to speak for herself. The decision fell to your father. This time he is fully capable of expressing his wishes. And he has chosen not to take the treatment."

Carter turns her gaze across the table to Julia, who has been silently watching the proceedings.

"What about Aunt Jules?" she asks. "She didn't have a say when you triggered her immortality."

"No, she did not," Hiroshi admits. He too turns to look at Julia, and the expression on his face is suddenly unreadable. "I acted both impulsively and selfishly without considering the cost to her."

Julia frowns slightly. He sounds perfectly sincere, even a little remorseful. She opens her mouth to comment on that, but Carter beats her there.

"Are you saying if you could go back, you'd let her become a vector?" Carter asks bluntly.

Hiroshi is quiet for a long moment.

"What I would do and what I should do are two very different things," he finally says. His voice sounds weary, and he suddenly looks every bit of his five hundred and twenty-nine years. Carter's eyebrows have lifted in amazement. This is not at all what she expected him to say. Julia too is surprised. She and Hiroshi have never really talked about how she became immortal, but she would've expected him to stand by his decision. Seeing him so conflicted about it is a bit of a shock.

Hiroshi sighs, and something inside him seems to deflate.

"The full force of immortality is hard to understand unless you have lived it," he tells Carter. "Even now I don't think your mother and aunt fully understand what it will surely cost them. Yes, there is the loss of those you love. But the price of immortality is so much more than that. There is also great loneliness. Imagine having hundreds of years of experience and memories that you cannot share with those closest to you. You could choose not to love at all, but in many ways, that is even worse. Even if there is someone just like you, immortals have no place in a world of mortals. The world moves on without you. No matter how you try, you never quite belong in it again. And after many lifetimes, it becomes difficult to hold on to your humanity. A life that cannot be lost is no longer precious. The magic of the world soon fades, leaving only an endless existence."

Julia's never heard her father talk like this. He sounds almost like he's in pain. Only now does she remember the moment so long ago back on level R when he placed bandages over her eyes. He had seemed incredibly upset, although he tried to hide it. At the time, Julia had been too distracted to notice. But now she finally understands.

Carter's eyebrows are tight and her eyes seem heavy as she mulls over Hiroshi's words. The arguments are all ones she's heard before. But somehow they carry more weight coming from a man who has lived through five centuries. Especially with his shoulders sagging as they are.

"You make it sound like hell," Carter says quietly.

"It's not always," Hiroshi admits. The corner of his mouth tugs up a little despite his mood. "There is the chance to watch mankind grow and develop over time. To see the developments in science and culture. Time to explore your passions to your heart's content. To explore the whole world if you wish. But too much of a good thing can kill just as easily as too little."

Hiroshi takes a leisurely drink of his tea to give Carter time to process. Julia watches her niece carefully over the lip of her own mug. Carter's eyes are locked on her cooling tea, but Julia can see her jaw clenching and unclenching as she tries to wrestle things out.

"You don't think my dad can handle it," Carter finally says. But there's no accusation in her tone. In fact, she sounds almost like she's starting to believe it herself.

"I think immortality is no place for good men," Hiroshi tells her. "It will only break them. And Alan Farragut is a good man. In order to cope with eternal life, he would have to distance himself from the mortals around him, to learn not to care about them as they faded away like smoke. Otherwise the pain would break him. But your father cares too much to turn his back on anyone. An immortal must also lie constantly to keep the truth hidden. Living forever requires both a certain strength and the forming of calluses. I think in time that Julia will be able to live with it. Your mother too. But not Alan. Yes, he might do many great things with an infinite life. But in the end, it would destroy him. Already your family's current lifestyle is taking its toll on him. I do not think he could survive it for an eternity. He is an old man who is tired of fighting. He has earned his rest many times over. Let him have his peace."

Julia can't shake the feeling that Hiroshi is talking about himself every bit as much as Alan. But right now her main focus is on Carter, who looks like she's just lost her best friend.

"And on that note," she says with forced levity, "I'm going to go walk off some of that cake."

Her mouth twists up in something resembling a smile, but it doesn't reach her eyes.

"Don't go far," Hiroshi says automatically. Even here they may not be safe from Ilaria.

"I won't," Carter assures him. She grew up in this world of hiding. She knows the drill.

The table has already been cleared of dishes, but she still carries her mug over to the sink before heading out toward the porch. The screen door creaks open and then swings shut behind her. Julia can hear the muffled thuds of Carter's feet crossing the porch. Then she's off toward the nearby lake, and the kitchen is left in silence.

Hiroshi takes another sip from his mug and frowns.

"The tea is cold," he says, getting to his feet. He takes his mug into the kitchen and pours it out before getting fresh water from the steaming kettle on the stove. It's not until he sits down again and Julia notices that the mug between her own hands is actually still warm that she finally finds her voice.

"Dad?" she says slowly.

Hiroshi takes a drink of his new tea and nods approvingly.

"Much better," he says. Then he looks up at Julia. "Yes?"

"You never really answered Carter's question," Julia says. She's watching him carefully as she speaks, trying to gauge his reaction. "Do you regret making me immortal?"

Hiroshi is silent a moment, and Julia finds herself holding her breath.

"No," he says finally in that same weary voice. "And at the same time yes. I don't regret that I will never have to see you die. That I can share eternity with my daughter. But those are selfish reasons. I do regret that you will have to outlive your husband. I regret that I have given my curse to my child."

Something about the way he says that give Julia pause. For the first time, she finds herself wondering if she's the only child Hiroshi ever had. Is it possible that there were others? That somewhere in the depths of time she had a brother or sister who passed on decades or even centuries before her birth? She wonders, but she doesn't get a chance to ask. And even if she did, Julia isn't sure she would.

"I'm afraid I stopped you from becoming one abomination by making you another," Hiroshi tells her. A lesser person might take offense at being called an abomination, but Julia sees the statement for what it is – an apology from an old man who passed his fiercest struggle to his child. Hiroshi sighs heavily. "If I were given the choice again, I would still make you immortal if only because I could not bear to lose you. But perhaps you would be better off if I had not."

"That's not true," Julia says firmly. "If you hadn't done what you did, I could've died in that base. I never would've married Peter. I never would've had this life with him and Alan and Sarah and Carter. All of the good moments with them would be gone. I never would've gotten to really know you."

She smiles in an attempt to reassure him, but it doesn't seem to help.

"Still," he says. "I am sorry for the burden I have handed you."

"I'm not," Julia says with a shake of her head. "Yes, it's hard. But like you said, it's also a gift. I have an eternity to study science, to explore every corner of the Earth. Eternity to spend with my father. How many families get that chance?"

"You may not feel that way in five hundred years," Hiroshi warns her.

"How I feel about it is my business," Julia says sternly. "You said you did what you did because you couldn't stand to lose me, but I think it was more than that. I think you did it for me. Because you couldn't stand the thought of me dying before my time. Because you wanted me to have a chance. I think you were fighting for me just like always. You were trying to save me because that's what fathers do. And you did it. You saved me. The only crime you committed was loving your daughter too much. And there isn't a single universe out there where I could hold that against you."

Hiroshi's eyes are damp by the time Julia finishes. She reaches out and takes his hand atop the table in her own, and he squeezes it tightly.

"Thank you," he chokes, his voice barely above a whisper. He looks like she's just breathed new life into his weary bones. And maybe she has.

"No," she says with a shake of her head. "Thank you."

Hiroshi reaches up and wipes his eyes with his free hand before laying it atop Julia's. For the first time, Julia finds herself really thinking about what the last five hundred years have been like for Hiroshi. How much loneliness has he endured? Sure, there were the other immortals, but in his heart, he was already drawing away from them long before Arctic BioSystems. For all intents and purposes, he's been alone. Yes, there were Jane and Daniel and probably others before them. But eventually they all faded away. What must it be like to carry all that pain and loss? This is the same man who loved Julia so much that he gave her up. He stayed away, stayed lonely, so she could be safe. But now he doesn't have to be. He finally has family to share forever with, someone to break that eternal loneliness. He deserves this, Julia decides. After all that he's sacrificed and lost, he deserves to have eternity with his daughter. And for Julia, knowing she can give him that makes immortality worth it.

"I love you, Dad," Julia says strongly.

"I love you too," Hiroshi tells her.

Julia gives his hand a final squeeze and then lets go. Hiroshi returns his empty hands to his mug of tea, which is probably getting cold for real. The motion draws Julia's eyes to the words on the cup.

"I have to ask you something," she says seriously. "Did you buy that mug for yourself?"

"Maybe," Hiroshi says innocently. He picks up the mug and takes a drink. Something about the combination of his answer and that gesture suddenly strikes Julia as utterly ridiculous. A small chuckle escapes her as she shakes her head.

"Well, I guess I'll need a new plan for Father's Day," she jokes.

"You could always put it on a shirt," Hiroshi offers with a grin.

"I'll see what I can do," Julia says drily.

A slight movement outside the kitchen window draws Julia's gaze. It's a straight shot down to the lake, and Julia can see Carter sitting beside the water. She's probably been out there long enough. Julia takes a final long drink of her tea before getting to her feet.

"I'm gonna go check on Carter," she says as she carries her mug to the sink.

"I'll be here," Hiroshi says.

"You better be," Julia warns him. She sets down her mug and walks over to the door, which she pulls open before turning back to her father. "When I come back in, we're playing chess."

Hiroshi smiles smugly, already preparing himself for victory. That's one of the downsides of having a five-hundred-year-old father – he knows pretty much every strategy that ever existed.

"Bring it on," he taunts.

"You better watch it, old man," Julia tells him. "One of these days I'm going to beat you."

"Whatever you have to tell yourself," Hiroshi says in his best patronizing parental tone.

Julia shakes her head and steps outside. She needs to put becoming a chess master on her list of things to do over the next thousand years. There's no rush though. She has all of eternity to beat him.

It's a short walk through the clearing down to the edge of the lake. The surface is perfectly still today, and the reflections of the dying leaves on the trees make it look like a stained glass window. Hiroshi has built a bench near the water's edge where he can sit while fishing, which is where Carter has currently taken up residence. She's leaning forward with her arms resting on her knees as she looks out at the water. Her forehead has smoothed out, signaling that she's reached her conclusion. And the sadness in her eyes tells Julia just what that conclusion is.

Julia sits quietly down beside Carter, and for a moment the only sound is the light breeze rustling the trees behind them.

"It's so peaceful out here," Julia says as she looks out at the lake. She learned long ago that Carter will talk when she's ready.

"Somehow I don't think we came here to look at the view," Carter says. But her usual sarcasm is gone, leaving the comment flat.

"No, we didn't," Julia admits. Carter sighs heavily in response.

"Figures," she mutters.

Suddenly Julia finds herself wondering if this trip was too hard of a push. Carter just found out here father's dying. And she's supposed to just be okay with that?

"When your parents first got together after Arctic BioSystems," Julia tells her, "part of me was still in love with your dad. But he loved your mom, and she was better for him anyway. So I let him go."

"And eventually you married Uncle Peter, and everything worked out for the best," Carter finishes wearily. She's heard this story a hundred times too, although never quite like this.

"It did," Julia agrees. "But that's not the point. The point is that sometimes when you love someone, you have to let them go. Even if it kills you to do it. Your dad deserves so much better than what this world has given him. He deserves peace. But that means we have to let him go."

"I know," Carter says. She sounds almost defeated, and it makes her seem much older than her fifteen years. Her eyes are carefully locked out on the water. Julia can read her niece's mannerisms well enough to know that this one means Carter's fighting not to get emotional. Carter shakes her head before adding, "I just don't know how. He's my dad. And I'm just supposed to watch him die?"

Julia turns a bit so she's sitting nearly sideways with a clear view of Carter.

"Alan loves you, Carter," she says strongly. "He loves you more than anything else in this world."

"I know," Carter says. But the strain in her voice is growing.

"I talked to him the night before we left," Julia admits. Carter turns her head so she can meet Julia's eyes. "He said that he's proud of you. And that the only reason he's okay with dying is because he knows you're going to be okay. Because you're smart and good, and he knows you'll make him proud even if he isn't here to see it."

Tears have begun welling in Carter's eyes by the time Julia finishes. She sniffs loudly and reaches up to swipe at her eyes with her right hand.

"It's not fair," she chokes.

"I know," Julia says softly. She reaches over and takes Carter's hand in one of her own. "And I am so sorry you have to go through this. No one should have to lose their dad at your age. But if it helps, I'm not going anywhere. I can't get sick, and I can't die of old age, so you're stuck with me for the rest of your life. Your mom and grandpa too."

On most days, the thought of outliving vibrant, intelligent Carter stabs Julia in the heart. But right now, looking into her niece's watery eyes, she's suddenly glad of it.

"You promise?" Carter whispers.

"I promise," Julia assures her.

Carter searches Julia's eyes briefly before forcing a nod. Then she scoots over so she's pressed against Julia's side with her head resting on her aunt's shoulder. Julia switches out her hand in Carter's so she can wrap her arm fully around Carter. There's not really anything to say as she rests her cheek against Carter's head. No eloquent words will help here. So instead Julia just stares silently out at the lake and holds on as silent tears slide slowly down Carter's face.

Seeing Carter's pain has caused another piece of the puzzle of Julia's immortality to finally slide fully into place. It's normal for children to have to bury their parents. Painful, but normal. But Julia will never have to. Barring some tragic event, she and Hiroshi will both live forever. Five hundred years from now they'll still be sitting at a dinner table eating fish and playing chess. Probably with Sarah lounging nearby as she reads the latest science journals and pretends not to watch the progress of their game. Julia might part ways with Hiroshi here and there in the decades to come, but her father will always be out there somewhere. She'll never have to deal with the grief Carter is currently feeling. Such are the perks of immortality. Yes, it can be a dangerously heavy burden. But every now and then the sun shines through and the pros manage to outweigh the cons.

Many a night Julia has lain in bed wondering how she would react if ever presented with the chance to escape from immortality. Sometimes she's convinced she would take it in a heartbeat. But right now in this moment she knows she wouldn't. She would choose to remain immortal, to continue facing down the endless tunnel of eternity, if only because she gets to spend it with her father. And that truly is a gift beyond measure.

X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X

By some miracle, Alan lives another two years before he finally passes away. Only twice near the end does Sarah crack and try to force immortality on him. Both times it's Carter who talks her down. It's not that Carter doesn't struggle with Alan slipping away. She has just as many breakdowns at the rest of them. But she finally understands Alan's wish, and she's determined to defend it. It makes Julia proud. Alan was right, she decides. In spite of her grief, Carter really is going to be okay.

Alan breathes his last breath one afternoon in early summer. His small family is gathered around his bed laughing about old memories when his eyes close for the last time. The Farraguts are living in a village in the African bush at the time, and they bury Alan beneath a large shade tree that's just within sight of the clinic he helped start. The entire village comes to the funeral. Many of Alan's patients from nearby villages come as well, and some even walk the whole night just to be there. They all want to pay their respects to the kind doctor who touched their lives. Hiroshi is also there, and he stands beside the four Farraguts as they stare quietly down at Alan's tombstone. A local stoneworker insisted on carving it for free since Alan's medical expertise saved his wife and baby. They named the little girl Alana.

Peter gives a short speech, and then the villagers line up beside the open grave. One by one they drop reverent handfuls of dirt on top of the casket. When the hole is completely filled, the locals lift their voices together in an ancient African dirge. The melody grows in power as it fills the warm air, and the deep sense of timeless history it carries sets goose bumps running down Julia's arms. She reaches down and takes Peter's hand as her eyes begin to water. Peter gives her hand a comforting squeeze before reaching over to take Sarah's hand as well. Then Sarah takes Carter's, and Carter takes Hiroshi's, and suddenly they're all holding on in one unbroken chain. Sarah was right, Julia thinks sadly. This is only the beginning. Someday there will only be three of them who still remember the man buried beneath that stone. But as Alan was always so fond of reminding Julia and Sarah, just because it ends doesn't mean it's not worth it. The trick is not in making those moments longer. It's in living them to the fullest so their light carries on even after they fade. This is what immortality caused the members of Ilaria to forget, what Julia and Sarah must make sure they always remember. That the most precious things in this world are not the ones that last forever, but rather the ones that fade – sunsets, flowers, even life itself. But rather than lessening their value, their fleeting nature is the very thing that makes them so valuable.

It seems to Julia that Alan's tombstone stands as a monument to that idea. Which is fitting since it's the code he lived by for most of his life. Beneath his name and the dates of his birth and death are the words "Forever in our hearts." It seems so cliché until one realizes that some of his family will indeed remember him forever. But the part that truly makes Julia's heart swell is the block of four lines written near the bottom of the stone. The words are carved far deeper than those above, and Julia is confident that years from now when Alan's name has worn away, those lines will still linger on. Together they comprise a poem by Edna St. Vincent Millay. So short, and yet nothing could have better summed up the life of Alan Farragut.

"My candle burns at both ends;  
It will not last the night;  
But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends –  
It gives a lovely light!"

* * *

I'll be honest - I'm not completely sure what that was or where it came from. But if you're reading this, please, please, please take a few seconds to leave a review letting me know what you thought about it. This fandom has a really low readership, so any reviews I can get are greatly appreciated. If you haven't read "For the Love of a Daughter", definitely go check that out. It's about half the length of this one and has a MUCH stronger focus on the Julia/Hatake dynamic. I've also written for several other fandoms if you want to take a look at my profile. And if you'd like to see another story set in this timeline, let me know and I'll see what I can do. Thanks for reading!


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